Sri Aurobindo
Why in news : Rangbhoomi Theatre Group is staging Niranjan Karawas, on the life of Sri Aurobindo.
Key facts about Sri Aurobindo :
Sri Aurobindo
- Aurobindo Ghose was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata), Bengal Presidency, India on 15 August 1872.
- He was an Indian philosopher, yogi, maharishi, poet, and Indian freedom fighter.
- He was also a journalist and was editing newspapers such as Vande Mataram.
- He joined the Indian movement for independence and was active in politics till 1910. After that he became a spiritual reformer, introducing his visions on human progress and spiritual evolution.
- He was involved in nationalist politics in the Indian National Congress and the revolutionary movement in Bengal with the Anushilan Samiti.
- He was arrested in the aftermath of a number of bombings linked to his organization where he faced charges of treason for Alipore Conspiracy.
- During his stay in the jail, he had mystical and spiritual experiences, after which he moved to Pondicherry, leaving politics for spiritual work.
- Aurobindo said he was “visited” by Vivekananda in the Alipore Jail: “It is a fact that I was hearing constantly the voice of Vivekananda speaking to me for a fortnight in the jail in my solitary meditation and felt his presence.”
- In 1926, with the help of his spiritual collaborator, Mirra Alfassa (referred to as “The Mother”), Sri Aurobindo Ashram was founded.
- His main literary works are The Life Divine, which deals with the philosophical aspect of Integral Yoga; Synthesis of Yoga, which deals with the principles and methods of Integral Yoga; and Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol, an epic poem.
- The 1970 Indian Bengali-language biographical drama film Mahabiplabi Aurobindo, directed by Dipak Gupta, depicted Sri Aurobindo’s life on screen.
Syllabus : prelims + mains; History – Famous personalities in news
